Ratchet-jack.



A. F. LENT.

RATCHET JACK.

v APPLICATION FILED MAYM, 190s.

Patented. Jan. 4, 1910.

M ATTORNEYS" INVENTOR'. Blvath F .Leqt 4:2

2 BHEETS--SHEET 1.

lia? rlw A. F. LENT.

RATUHET JACK. APPLICATION FILED MAY 14, 1008.

945,334. Patented J 4-, 1910.

2 BHBBTS-BHEET 2. 55

ATTORNEYS ALVAH F. LENT, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

RATCHET-LTACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 4, 1910.

Application filed May 14, 1908. Serial No. 432,788.

- all whom ct may concern;

Be it known that I, ALvArL F. LENT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Ratchet-Jacks;'and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invcntiomsticl as will enable others skilled in the art to whichit appcrtains to make and use'tbe same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to characters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

- My invention relates to improvements in ratchet-jacks and comprises ajack adapted for use as a sewer jack, or for lifting heavy objects, orfor stretching wire, cables or the like, or for other ,uses for whichsuch jacks are commonly employed.

My said jack comprises two telescopic members of cruciform shape incross section, one member titting within the other,

the ribs of such inner member nttin within recesses in the outer membe'rformed within the ribs of such outer member, and guided thereby; saidinner member having ratchet teeth on one of its ribs, the outer memberhaving an opening opposite a portion of the ratchet toothed rib of theinner member, and having a holding pawl adapted to work through suchopeningagainst such teeth, and having also fulcrum-pins adapted to beengaged by a ratchet bar, itself provided with a tooth to engage thesaid ratchet teeth through the said opening.

My invention further comprises an improved construction of the ratchetbar.

The objects of my invention are toimprove the construction of jacks suchas referred to, to make such jacks of great strength and stifiness inproportion to the amount and character of metal used, and to make suchjacks very simple, easily constructed, easily operated and relativelyinexpensive. V

I will now roceed to describe my invention with re erence.to theaccompanyin drawings andwill then point out the nove features in claims.

In said drawings: Figures 1 and 2 are respective] a side elevation and afront view of one orm of my-s'aicl jack, and Fig. 3

shows a central longitudinal section of such 5 jack on a plane parallelto that of Fig. 1.

Flo 4 shows atmnsversc section of the jack and the ratchet-bar foroperating it, the

section being taken on the line 1- 1 of Fig.

1, looking in the direction of the arrow m.

Fig. 5 shows a transverse section of the jack taken on the line 55 ofFig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow y, both of these viewsbeing on a scale larger than that of Figs. 1-3 lnclnsive. Fig. 6 is aside view of an alternative form of jack particularly adapted forstretching wires and cables and the like; and Fi 7 is a centrallongitudinal section of this alternative form of ]tlCl The form of thejack shown in Figs. 13 inclusive, is a form particularly adapted for useas a sewer jack, or for lifting weights, and similar purpdses.

Referring first to Figs. 15 inclusive, the jack there shown isdesignated by the general reference character 1; said jack comprising aninner member 2, of cruciform shape in cross section, and an outer hollowmember 13, also of cruciform shape in cross section; the inner space ofthis member 13 being also cruciform in cross section. Memher 2 isarranged to telescope within member 13. By reason of its cruciform shapein cross section, member 2 has ribs 3, 4, 5 and 6 of which rib '5 isprovided with ratchet ,tceth 7. The member 13 has corresponding in alldirections and have maximum strength and stiffness, for the amount andcharacter of material used in their construction. At the same time theforms of these parts are very simple, so that they are readilyconstructed.

The outer jack member is provided in its rib 16 opposite the ratchettoothed rib 5 of the other member 2, with an opening 18 through which afpawlof a ratchet bar hereinafter mentione may on age the teeth 7; thisopening being, refera 1y, much shorter than the total lengt 1 of thetoothed portion of the rib 5. Jack member 13 also is provided with lugs19 su porting, by means of a pivot pin 20, a hol ing pawl '21 having atooth 22, likewise adapte to project through opening 18 into engagemewith one or another of the teeth 7; a spring 23 being provided whichengages the rear or handle end 2a of this pawl 21, said spring tendingto press said rear portion of the pawl outward, so as to hold the toothin engageshown, to lit over fulcrum pins progeciing;

- I have avoided the use of from :the siderios l4. and lb of jack member13; said fulcrum pins lying within the main lateral width or member 1:;measured n a direction at right angles to the axis of these fulcrum pins34, so that in this jack the extending lugs to support a fulcrum pin,with which most ratchet jacks are provided, which lugs usually extend sofar outward asto be much in the way and to add considerably to theweight of the jack, besides making the jack more difiieult to construct.The lower lugs 37 of the ratchet bar have a curved bearing surface'withrespect to the fulcrum pins 34$, so that when the ratchet bar is'in usethe pressure is distributed well over the surfaces of these fulcrumpins. The inner edges of the upper lugs 38 of the ratchet bar arepreferably straight, as this facilitates the passin of the ratchet barover the fulcrum pins? ithin the forked end of the ratchet her there isa pawl 42, pivoted to said ratchet bar by pin 41, and adapted to engagethe teeth"? through the opening 18. The location ofthis pawl 42, withinthe forked end of-the ratchet bar, is such that said pawl is practicallyprotected against breakage when the bar is removed from the jack, saidbar being. then in effect a simple, practicallystraight bar, free fromprojecting parts which complicate the construction of the bar and whichare apt to be broken oil".

The jack may,be provided with various forms of end pieces to adapt forvarious uses. in the form shown, in Figs. 1-3 1n- "elusive l' have shownit provided with base,

pieces 10 and 31,011 its opposite ends, connected to the members2 and 13respectively, by ball-and-socket o1nts, co1'nprising ballshaped ends 9and 30, respectively, embraced by ears 11 and 31 respectively of thebase pieces 10; and I have shown these base pieces provided with teethor serrations, l2 and 33; but the particular construction of the basepieces is optional. Since the member 18 is'hollow, its ball-shaped endcom prises a body 27' adapted to fit within the.

end of the member and held therein by suitable meansyas forexarrlple bya transverse" pi1' 1'281 Thejack asv "so constructed may be'usedas anordinai'y ratchet jack, for lifting weights or for bracing the sheathingof sewer trenches, "and for like uses. I have also shown the member 13provided on its rear side, with hook 455 provided with an eye 44, wh chhook, or oryboth, may be used for the sita tor the end of a cable,chain, wire the like, when the jack is to be used for drawing taut achain, or cable, or wire, or the like.

in the alternative construction shown in igs. 5 and 6,1 have shown themen1ber 2- This jack is to be used in the usual man ner and therefore nospecial description of sucn method of use is requned. It will beobserved that the ratchetbar; 3515 readily attached or detached, andwhen thejack has once been adjusted, this ratchet bar will customarilybe removed so that it is at once out of the way and not liable to bebroken. The holding pawl 21 is provided near its tooth 22, withlaterally projecting lips 25 adapted to ride upon'the sides 26, of theopening 18, and thereby to prevent the tooth of said pawl from droppingtoo far between the teeth 7. These ribs also prevent the saring 23 fromworking loose.

In order that the pawl 42 may never move to a. position such that itwill interfere with placing the ratchet bar on the jack, said pawl isprovided with a rearward projection 46 which prevents said pawl frommoving into line with the ratchet bar itself.

What I claim is:

l. A ratchet jack comprising two members of cruciform-shape in crosssection, one member adapted to slide within the other, its ribs guidedby the'sides of recesses formed in the ribs of theother said member,said inner member provided on one of its ribs with ratchet-teeth, thecorresponding rib of the other member having an opening; said outermember provided with a holding 'pawl adapted to engage said teeththrough said opening, and having on its side ribs,

laterally projecting fulcrum pins adapted for engagement by a ratchetbar..

2. A ratchet jack comprising a tubular. member and another memberadapted to slide back and forth. within said tubular member, saidtubular member of cruciform shape in cross section inside and outside,the

channels within its ribs forming guides for the inner member, said innermember also cruciform in cross section, one of the ribs of said innermember providedwith ratchet teeth, the corresponding rib of the outermember -.having an opening, said. outer. member provided with .a springactuatedj holding pawl adapted, to engage said teeth through saidopening, and having'on its side ribs laterally projecting fulcrum pinslying within the width of said outermember nieasuredin a direction atright angles to the axis of said fulcrum pins, said pins adapted forengagement by a ratchet bar.

3. 1n a ratchet jack, the combination, with telescopic jack-members, oneof which is provided with ratchet teeth and the other with laterallyprojecting fulcrum-pins, of a 5 forked ratchet-bar having the ends ofits fork slotted to fit over and engage said fnlcrnm pins and,havingwithin its fork a pawl adapted to engage the 'said ratchet teeth.

10 4. In a ratchet jack, the combination, with teltFcopicjack-members.one of which is provided with ratchet teeth and the otherwith laterally projecting fulcrum-pins. of a forked ratchet-bar havingthe ends of its '15 fork slotted to tit over and engage said 't'nlcrnmpins and having within its fork a pawl adapted to engage the saidratchet teeth, said pawl pro\ idctl with a rearward projection' adaptedto engage the hack of the are forked portion of said bar and therebyprevent said pawl from moving into line with the fork.

5. In a ratchet jack, the combination with two telescopic membersadapted to fit one within the other, said inner member provided \vlhratchet teeth, of a holding pawl pivoted to the outer member and adaptedto engage said ratchet teeth, and having laterally projecting lipsarranged to engage the sides of said outer member and regnlateih 30extent of movement in one directionof sai pawl, and a spring forpressing Stll d'ptWl into engagement with Etlld teeth.

In testimony, that I claim the invention .aet forth above I haveherenntoset myhand 35 thisl lth day of May 1908.

. ALVAH F. LENT. \Yitnesses l I Fin-ink. (J. l aann'rznn, .\x.\.\ ll.ALTER.

